Hands Off Our Pies

The government may have thought it was just closing an obviously unintended loophole in the tax laws by extending VAT (value added tax) which is charged on hot, fresh food to pies. Pies had previously avoided the tax, as best I understand it, because they were left to cool after being baked.

This has launched, of course, a storm of protest. Pork pies, pasties and sausage rolls are beloved icons of Britishness, and politicians meddle with them at their peril.

I ate a lot of pie in new zealand and have been generally disappointed with the ones in new york. is there anywhere here you can recommend? the only one I've had that I liked was the pork pie at allswell.

Yes, you can buy British-style meat pies at Myers of Keswick in the West Village. Tuck Shop - various branches - brings you the Aussie pie experience, with traditional and unusual fillings, although their sausage roll - which I like - is unconventional; sweet, herby and peppery.

Eight Mile Creek in SoHo used to have a mini-pie platter on the lunch menu, but I haven't been there in a while.